Gary had never had therapy in his life, unless one counted the hench recovery group he tried the first time the cocoon was destroyed. Which was a failure, as he convinced all those other henches to go back to their rogues.
"I think it started out as stress..." He looked a little guilty as he looked up. "I kept his skull for a few years... and still have the glove he died in. I carry it when I think I might die on a job. Kind of like good luck. He's never looked dead, kind of just like he's there making commentary."
Motioning to the counter where he kept glaring randomly. "He's saying that I should have kept my mouth shut... Even Malcolm and Shelia don't know about this. Well, besides the glove, Shelia knows that." And so did not approve.
She reached across the counter and took his hand, rubbing her thumb across the back of his knuckles.
"I don't ever want you to feel like you have to hide something from me, especially something that matters to you."
She slid her mug aside and took his hand in both of hers.
"Paul was there for you for so many formative moments while you were growing up and becoming you and he died in a horrible, sudden, traumatic way. Of course you wanted to keep a part of him. Of course you still talk to him."
"Is it? I really don't want to be locked up. One trip to Arkham was enough." Because it was basically Arkham, so it will be now. "And that was to break someone else out." The things he does to help the Venture boys.
Shifting his hand to hold hers, offering a soft bittersweet smile.
"I don't like hiding things, outside of work stuff..." Which he tells her anyway, so moot point. "It's just been super hard, you know?"
Of course, she knew, he listened and nodded, lifting his other hand already feeling his eyes trying to mist. Ignoring it for years has not helped. "He was my best friend, Harley." He spoke low. "The only person I really had for the longest time." He didn't know if she knew, but the misty dark eyes looked to her. "I still keep seeing his head flying at me." He had been hit in the head with the severed head of his best friend, which certainly didn't help the trauma. "At least, I killed the people who did it." And Shelia would be furious if she knew Gary had killed her moppets. More so when it was Malcolm's fault. Not that the Monarch even really knew that.
He wrapped both of those arms around her as he tried to keep the tears from flowing.
"People will think I'm insane, they already do after that last fight with Brock." The fact he walked away from a fight with Brock and went to go beat down Monstrso together was kind of the stuff of legends. Doctor Venture's cameras were the only reason those rumors got out.
Kissing her back softly, before looking up a little guilty. "Sometimes, he knows I don't approve of it." He admitted softly. "We should get to town."
"I know who Gary is," she said while cradling him against her. She rested her head against him and stroked his back. "Gary is loyal, and kind, and observant, and a good listener, and generous, and endlessly loving."
Holding close to Harley, finally starting to get the tears to stop. A hitched sound escaped before he finally muttered against her neck. "You really think so? I try really hard..." He was the worst at being bad, and yet, he always believes in what the villains do. "Love you, Harley."
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Harley keeps her hands wrapped around the mug to something to ground her. She leans her elbows on the counter and puts on her listening doctor face.
"Do you see Paul in a haunted-by-a-ghost way or a traumatic-stress-hallucination way?"
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"I think it started out as stress..." He looked a little guilty as he looked up. "I kept his skull for a few years... and still have the glove he died in. I carry it when I think I might die on a job. Kind of like good luck. He's never looked dead, kind of just like he's there making commentary."
Motioning to the counter where he kept glaring randomly. "He's saying that I should have kept my mouth shut... Even Malcolm and Shelia don't know about this. Well, besides the glove, Shelia knows that." And so did not approve.
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She reached across the counter and took his hand, rubbing her thumb across the back of his knuckles.
"I don't ever want you to feel like you have to hide something from me, especially something that matters to you."
She slid her mug aside and took his hand in both of hers.
"Paul was there for you for so many formative moments while you were growing up and becoming you and he died in a horrible, sudden, traumatic way. Of course you wanted to keep a part of him. Of course you still talk to him."
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Shifting his hand to hold hers, offering a soft bittersweet smile.
"I don't like hiding things, outside of work stuff..." Which he tells her anyway, so moot point. "It's just been super hard, you know?"
Of course, she knew, he listened and nodded, lifting his other hand already feeling his eyes trying to mist. Ignoring it for years has not helped. "He was my best friend, Harley." He spoke low. "The only person I really had for the longest time." He didn't know if she knew, but the misty dark eyes looked to her. "I still keep seeing his head flying at me." He had been hit in the head with the severed head of his best friend, which certainly didn't help the trauma. "At least, I killed the people who did it." And Shelia would be furious if she knew Gary had killed her moppets. More so when it was Malcolm's fault. Not that the Monarch even really knew that.
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"It's okay, baby. You're okay. It's not weird to miss your friend and want to keep him in your life."
She held his face in both hands and kissed him sweetly.
"... Is he there when we fuck?"
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"People will think I'm insane, they already do after that last fight with Brock." The fact he walked away from a fight with Brock and went to go beat down Monstrso together was kind of the stuff of legends. Doctor Venture's cameras were the only reason those rumors got out.
Kissing her back softly, before looking up a little guilty. "Sometimes, he knows I don't approve of it." He admitted softly. "We should get to town."
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Harley frowned and smoothed his hair back. She wasn't going anywhere until they hashed this out.
"I'm insane. Does that bother you?"
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"No, I've always loved that about you. You're always Harley, no matter what people think. Sometimes I just don't know who Gary really is."
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